AN I have been trying to write chapters, but have a little bit of writer's block, and I'm not very satisfied with this chapter, but it has something that needed to be explained, and not very long; hopefully, the next chapter will be better, and up in a day or so.
Disclaimer I owe nothing.
Chapter 27 A Visit from a Pheonix.
Saphira was Confused; one moment she was lying in Loki's arms outside the prison, next she was, well Saphira didn't know where she was, only that there was nothing but darkness around her. It reminded her a lot of space, but without planets or stars. Just empty darkness. It was a little unsettling, frightening even. It was nothing like when she went through the tesseract; then she was floating, now it was as if Saphira was standing on air; she could even feel something under her feet.
Saphira had no idea where she was or what was going on, or how she got here; she tried to think, but all she remembered was the fight with Malekith, Mystique helping, and Loki showing up. Loki was holding her; she remembers him panicking, then she must have blacked out; maybe this was a dream, but it felt too real; her eyes widened when Saphira remembered getting stabbed, and looked down to check the wound, but it wasn't there, she wasn't in pain either, and Saphira wasn't wet, or bloody, or muddy, and for some reason now wearing a long white dress.
Saphira tried to walk but couldn't seem to get her legs to move. Out of fear or something else she didn't know, she just knew she had a bad feeling about this. That's when she noticed there was no wind, no sounds of any kind, no air, no temperature, wasn't hot or cold, just nothing. She held out her hand but couldn't get a flame to appear, and none of her other abilities would work when she tried them either.
As she stood there wondering what to do or how to get out of here, it turned darker, as if something covered a light source, then suddenly lighter, brighter; she also felt the heat as if flames were behind her, then suddenly Saphira did sense someone behind her, and chills went down her spine.
"Please, not that." Saphira softly whispered to herself as she closed her eyes; then, she opened them and slowly turned around and gasped as she came face to face with the same firebird that had pulled her through the tesseract. The one Malekith had called Pheonix, that is if it was who he met.
"You have done well," Phoenix said, speaking in an almost echo like female sounding voice. Saphira frowned and tried to push down her fear. It was hard, but fear never stopped her mouth before, and it didn't this time either.
"Who are you? Are you truly called the phoenix?" Saphira demanded. "Why did you bring me here? Where is here? and why won't you leave me alone?"
"Are you done? Or would you like to ask more questions?" Phoenix demanded; Saphira narrowed her eyes at her but didn't say anything. "Good, now, for the first question, I have been known by many things, but you may call me Phoenix, second I brought you here to talk, as to where here is, we are outside the very universe, which is nowhere and everywhere. "
"That makes no sense." Saphira interrupted. Phoenix made a noise that sounded like a chuckle.
"You amuse me." Phoenix replied, "You are terrified of me, but yet still can not keep the smart remarks from your lips."
"I am not..."
"Yes, you are, now hush." Phoenix snapped; she didn't say it harshly or raise her voice, but still, it was enough to make Saphira shut up and even learn to move her legs again as she took a step back. "Good, you want answers; I am here to give them. You have to be patient, and you will get them."
The Pheonix spared her fiery wings and flew higher in the air and over Saphira, landing behind her, making her have to turn around to look at it again, then, it made flashes go by, visions or glimpses of Saphira's life, her past, growing up on Asgard, spoiled by her mother, being poorly treated by her father, her life with Loki, with Enid, all up to her life now, flashes like pictures of it all just flying by, all around her, she couldn't hear anything but didn't need to.
"I have kept an eye on you all your life," Phoenix said. "I know everything about you; I have seen it from the outside and from inside your head."
"Why?" Saphira demanded as she watched the scene of her father locking her up fly by her.
"Because they chose you upon your birth." Phoenix said, "they have a connection to you, and you to them; that's why you get almost hypnotized by them."
"Chose by what?" Saphira demanded, turning from the visions to look at the Phoenix. It looked at her for a long moment before speaking again.
"Before the universe began, six singularities existed." Phoenix began to explain as flashes of what she was saying joined the moments of Saphira's life surrounding them but became bigger, pushing Saphira's memories to the background.
"The big bang then formed the six singularities into concentrated crystals and sent the six hurling throughout the universe. Each stone represents different aspects of the universe; Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Time and Soul."
"Yes, I know this already." Saphira interrupted. "What does it have to do with me?"
"Patients," Phoenix said. "As I mentioned before, I've been called different things throughout my existence, but my most popular name being that of The Phoenix Force; I have lived for millions of year I am even older than the universe itself, I have had many jobs, one of my most important has been the Protector of the Infinity Stones, with that job I get to punish those who miss use them, and ever few millennia I get to pick their new guardian, a temporary one if you will. They have the job to keep the stones safe and hidden and find them when they are lost."
"That's nice, I'm happy for you; congratulations," Saphira said, sarcastically, "But this does not explain what it has to do with me."
"Five months ago today, you Saphira of Asgard, help led an alien invasion on one of the most popular cities on Earth." Phoenix said, "Causing multiple deaths, and you Saphira did so using not one but two Infinity Stones. Yes, I understand you were not the one wielding the stones, your husband was, and he was not truly behind the invasion either, so he can not be at fault, not completely for what he did. Still, you went along with it without a second thought, but, since you are the chosen, I can not punish you, so I decided to test you."
"Test me?" Saphira demanded, frowning.
"Five months ago, I dragged you through the Space Stone," Phoenix explains. "You remember, you were terrified by it, I looked through your mind, your thoughts, your memories and decided to give you a test when I flew at you, I put in you what you know as the Aether, I wanted to see if you were as strong as I believed, and unlike your great grandmother before you, you lived, and despite not having access to the godlike abilities it barely affected you. Then Malekith showed up, and I watched as you protected the Realty Stone at all cost. Not only were you willing to die for it, but you refused to hand it over no matter what he did to you and was mortality wounded because of it. I knew then I chose right. That they chose right."
"Hang on." Saphira cried, "You put that Aether, an Infinity Stone in me just to see if I lived or died?"
"I did," Phoenix admitted. "And to test to see how far you would go to protect it."
"You bitch." Saphira cried. Phoenix made a sound as if she was laughing as she circled Saphira once again and stopped behind her, making her turn around again to see her.
"I had a feeling you would live," Phoenix answered. "The stones chose you after all; we have tested many of the chosen this way throughout history, and rarely does one fail, oh, a few have, but not many."
"Why did you do it?" Saphira demanded. "What does the Infinity Stones have to do with me?"
"Have you not been listening? I had my eye on you ever since you were born." Phoenix said, "And when Odin agreed to grant you godhood, I got into his head to make sure he made you the goddess of nature, and with that came some pretty amazing abilities, fit for what I wanted of you."
"Why, though?" Saphira demanded. "I'm not that powerful, I can't do magic; both my mother and Loki tried to teach me two different kinds, I was unable to do most of it." She watched as visions of the Infinity Stones appeared in the darkness, then begun to circle her.
"It takes beings of immense powers to wield the stones without dire consequences," Phoenix said. "Begins of lesser power need them in a container to do so."
"So, I am a being of lesser power," Saphira mumbled. "I could only wield the Realty Stone cause it was in the Aether."
"It was at first, but when you called it back from Malekith, it no longer was," Phoenix said, "You can wield a stone without a container. You are a goddess and hybrid of two powerful beings; I am not saying you are as powerful as others that have wielded the stones in the past, but you are powerful enough to wield them, at least a couple at a time, you also have the advantage that others do not."
"What's that? Saphira demanded.
"Your connection to nature," Phoenix answered. "The stones formed naturally; they have a connection to you; they have chosen you as their Guardian, you will find them, make sure they are hidden and kept safe. When you die, their responsibility comes back to me until another worthy Guardian is born."
"What?" Saphira demanded, "No, I don't want anything to do with them. Malekith tried to kill me for one; Loki got tortured over them; I don't want any of this." Phoenix said nothing, just stared. "Besides, you said yourself; I'm not that powerful; I can't do magic."
"Being able to do magic tricks does not prove how powerful one can be," Phoenix replied, "Those things take a lot of concentration and patients, the reason you can not do it, also that magic isn't always natural, does not mean you are not powerful. You are, in your way. Make up for the deaths you caused on Earth by helping save half the universe. They are ones seeking these stones for wrong, the very ones who kidnapped and tortured the one you love."
Saphira shook her head. "I want them to pay, but Loki does not want that; he thinks going after them will get us both killed."
"He is scared." Phoenix said, "Understandable with what they did to him, but with the Infinity Stones, you can make them pay; you would have the power."
Saphira shook her head again, "I don't want this; I want a normal life with my husband; I want to be happy. I want to see my sister happy; heck, I even wish for dumbass Thor to be happy; that's all I want; me and my family happy. With a normal life."
"Since when was a god's life ever normal?" Phoenix asked. "You are the chosen, you passed the test, and proved yourself worthy; all you have to do is agree, and I'll open up your connection to them, and you'll be able to find them all. Guard them."
"I do not agree," Saphira replied.
"You doubt yourself and what you can do because of losing to Malekith." Phoenix said, "You were not at full power in that fight, your body was not used to having your abilities back not to mention you spent months being drained by the Aether, but yet you put up a good fight; you fought better in those circumstances than a lot of others would have."
"I don't want this." Saphira yelled.
"Not even for the chance at revenge?" Phoenix demanded.
Saphira suddenly heard Loki screaming in pain, as all around her visions of him getting tortured and hurt flashed by; Saphira couldn't believe what she saw, what they put him through; she couldn't stand looking at it. She covered her ears and closed her eyes, trying to block out the sounds and sights; she dropped to her knees and cried out.
"If you do not care for the lives that could be lost if Thanos gets the stones, then agree for revenge," Phoenix said, "Stop those who hurt your husband by finding and protecting the stones. Thanos has spent years trying to find a way to make his one goal happen, and the stones are the fastest and easiest way he can wipe out half of all life. Stop him, and that can be your revenge."
"Please, stop the visions. I can not stand seeing Loki hurt." Saphira cried. "I can not agree with what you want, because I can not do it, I am not strong enough, I'm not a warrior, my father tried to teach me to be, Enid, she's the warrior, I...I can't; my father was right; I never amounted to anything."
"Your father is wrong," Phoenix said. "Now is your chance to prove him wrong by becoming the hero."
"I can't; you got the wrong goddess; I am no hero; I am a selfish bitch." Saphira cried, "If this were a movie, I'd be the villain."
"That is true, you are a bitch, but you are not evil." Phoenix said, "You are not cold, you may not be a hero or a kind goddess, but you do have a people you care about; if Thanos gets what he wants, then you risk losing some or all of them, including the two that means the most to you, your sister and husband."
"I have no idea where the rest of the stones are or how to find them," Saphira told her.
"You will," Phoenix replied. "You agree to be my guardian; I will give you the power to bring out your connection to them. It will help you find them," Phoenix said.
Saphira dropped her hands from her ears and looked up at The Phoenix, tears streaming down her face; Loki's screams in the background were getting louder.
"Fine, I'll do what you want," Saphira said after a long moment. "Just please, stop with the visions." The visions all stopped at once, and it was nothing but darkness again. Saphira took a few deep breaths, whipped her eyes, and stood then glared up at Phoenix. "That was low."
"That is not all I want from you." Phoenix said, "But that can wait until another time. Your soul has been out of your body long enough, and I must unlock your connection and allow you to return before your body dies."
"What?" Saphira demanded.
"I was able to bring you here to speak to because you were very close to death," Phoenix explains. "So, I took your soul out of your body, it's been a while, to us just minutes, since we are not in anywhere at the moment, but for your body, it's been hours possible a day or two since the attack, and you have been unconscious through it all. I will send you back now; we will speak again in the future; once you heal, go searching for the stones."
Before Saphira was able to reply, Pheonix flew at her, entering her body; Saphira screamed out as her entire body burst into colorful flames, all a color of a stone, orange blue, green, yellow, purple, and red, it looked like a light show, but only lasted seconds; soon the Phoenix flew from her body, the flames went out, and Saphira screamed once more as she went falling through the darkness.
Saphira gasped out as her body jerked and her eyes flew open; she no longer was in space and darkness but her bedroom in Enid's penthouse above her casino. Once her senses came back to her, she started feeling nothing but pain, as her chest hurt, her side was killing her, her backaches, and she felt as if she had been through a meat grinder.
Saphira closed her eyes and whimpered; within a second, someone was there and sat next to her on the bed and ran their hand through her hair, lovingly and soothingly.
"Shh, it's alright, love. I am here. No one can hurt you now." A familiar voice said; Saphira opened her eyes and looked up to see Loki looking down at her in concern; when he saw her looking at him, he smiled at her.
"Loki, " Saphira said, she reached out for him, and he took her hand in his.
"Hello, darling," Loki replied. Saphira went to set up, but pain shot through her body, and she cried out. "Careful, sweetheart." Loki let go of her hand, stood, and slowly and gently helped her to sit up.
"Thanks," Saphira said as Loki sat back down by her. "I didn't think I imagined you were at the prison saving me, " She reached out for his hand again.
"I'm sorry I did not get there in time to stop Malekith hurting you," Loki told her.
"You showed up in time to save me, and I thank you for it," Saphira told him; Loki smiled at her.
"No need to thank me, that's what you do when you love someone," Loki said; he reached up and wiped her tears away.
Looking at him was bringing back all the flashes and screams from the visions Phoenix had shown her. She wanted to be closer to him, needed him closer; after seeing that, she needed to remind herself, he was fine and with her.
"Why are you sitting so far away?" Saphira demanded, "Get your ass over here; I want a hug."
Loki laughed and moved closer and gently hugged Saphira, being careful of her injuries. When he pulled back a little, he leaned in and kissed her.
"Is that better, darling?" Loki asked; Saphira nodded her head smiling, then frown as she reached out and laid her hand on his cheek.
"I missed you so much," Saphira told him.
"And I missed you, my love," Loki replied. "How do you feel?"
"Better now that I am with you." Saphira smiled.
"Sorry, I have not come to break you out of prison yet," Loki told her. "Odin did something to my cell, and no matter what I tried, I could not break out. I had to rely on my old tricks."
"Don't worry about that; you are here now," Saphira told him. "Are you okay after being locked in those awful dungeons?"
"It is I who should be worried about you, darling," Loki told her.
"I'm fine, little tired and sore," Saphira told him. "But you..."
"There is no need to worry about me, sweetheart," Loki told her; Saphira looked down. "What is it, darling? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Saphira answered. "I'm just sleepy and in pain, is all."
"Are you sure that is all that is troubling you?" Loki asked. "Please, love, be truthful."
"I saw the firebird again," Saphira whispered; just talking about it sent chills down her spine, and Loki frown, not liking her reaction or that it appeared to her again.
"Did the Phoenix force say what it wanted this time or just stare again?" Loki demanded.
"How do you know what it's called?" Saphira demanded.
"I researched it while in prison on Asgard, had Mother bringing me books," Loki explained.
"So, you know what it's the protector of?" Saphira asked.
"Yes, love," Loki replied.
"Then I don't have to explain that," Saphira mumbled, looking down. "It spoke to me this time; it wants me to be the Guardian of the Infinity Stones."
"And you told Phoenix no." Loki guessed. Hopefully, Saphira didn't answer. "Darling?"
"It showed me visions, flashes of my past, told me it has been watching me since I was born, said it put the Aether in me as a test, to see if I lived or died."
"I beg your pardon?" Loki demanded, anger clearly on his face.
"I told it I wanted nothing to do with them, that I almost died because of them, you were torture because of them, it wouldn't listen." Saphira was almost shouting now. "Phoenix...it showed me visions of what they did to you. I can still hear your screams in my head. And I wasn't there to help you, to save you. You went through hell, and it is all my fault."
Saphira stopped talking when Loki pulled her into a hug; he tried to be as gentle as he could, but the movement still hurt a little; Saphira didn't care, though; she loved being in Loki's arms again.
"Saphira, my love, calm down," Loki told her, rubbing her back. "It's not your fault, sweetheart."
"Yes, it is. If you hadn't fallen from the rainbow bridge saving me, then Thanos and his minions would never have gotten hold of you," Saphira explains.
"Then you would have fallen, and they might have gotten hold of you," Loki said. "I'm glad it was me instead of you."
"I rather it had been me instead," Saphira said.
"Please, don't say things like that, darling." Loki pleaded, letting go of her.
"It's true," Saphira mumbled; Loki laid his forehead on hers and closed his eyes; yeah, she was truthful; they both would rather themselves got hurt instead of the other. Sometimes he didn't understand why someone as wonderful and beautiful as Saphira loved him so much. But he was glad she did.
"Try not to think of it," Loki said, "And you have nothing to be sorry for, not your fault; I'm alive, I'm okay, that is what matters."
"I want them dead, all of them," Saphira replied.
"Please, my love, do not speak that way," Loki begged. "Just put it all out of your head; it is over and done, over a year ago, think of only getting better, that's what matters now."
"I'll try," Saphira replied; Loki kissed her forehead before pulling her back to him; as he held her, Saphira noticed it was dark out, which meant she was probably out of it for at least one whole day, maybe a little longer if you count the night of the attack.
"Good." Loki answered, "Once you are well, we'll leave this realm and go on an adventure in space, just you and I; how's that sound?" Saphira suddenly felt guilty while looking at Loki smiling at her and almost cried.
"It sounds lovely, but..." Saphira couldn't finish. She couldn't bring herself to tell Loki she had agreed with the Phoenix's demands.
"I have a pain potion Enid made sitting here if you need it, sweetheart," Loki said, misunderstanding why she was upset. And because she was also in a lot of pain, she nodded, and Loki leaned over and got it; he took off the led and handed the vile to her.
"Thanks," Saphira said, handing the vile back to him; Loki put the lid back on it and sat it on the table.
"Maybe you should go back to sleep, my love." Loki suggested, "You should rest anyway."
"But.."
"I'll be here when you wake; I'm not going anywhere," Loki promised.
"Okay," Saphira answered.
"That's my girl," Loki replied; standing up, he helped Saphira to lay back down and kissed her again.
"Will you lay with me, please?" Saphira asked. "Hold me?"
"Of course, darling," Loki said, then magically changed his clothes to pajamas and crawled in bed next to her and put his arm around her waist, making sure he didn't touch her injury.
"I love you, baby."
"I love you too, beautiful," Loki replied.
Saphira closed her eyes to go back to sleep, only to open them real fast, as the visions of Loki were still fresh in her mind, oh Thanos was going to pay for putting Loki through that, along with his so-called children, and pay dearly, somehow, someway, she was going to make sure he regrets ever laying his eyes on Loki, no matter how long it takes.
AN I know the chapter isn't very good; hopefully, the next couple is better, and the stuff with the Phoenix and stones I made up, sorry if it doesn't make sense to anyone. Sometimes ideas pop into my head, and I have to go with them.